An article appeared in our latest news letter from TN Farmers Coop about Round-up Ready sweet Corn. http://www.ourcoop.com/ourcoop08/headli ... artID=2786 At the present time, only fairly large quantities are available, but several could go in together and split the amount.

Just thought that this is interesting.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give......Winston Churchill

I would like to try some to see how it does. I think I read that the varieties available now also have the gene for corn earworm and other insect resistance. To me, that would be more of an advantage than the actual Roundup Ready.

Super A wrote:I would like to try some to see how it does. I think I read that the varieties available now also have the gene for corn earworm and other insect resistance. To me, that would be more of an advantage than the actual Roundup Ready.

Al

I got a five pound sample (free sample) with the anti earworm gene several years ago. This corn is also tightly controlled as to minimum quanitity which I think was 25 pounds. At that time you also wern't suppoused to share a purchase either by sale or by giving away. I was told it was an EPA requirement. The gene comes from thuricide which is what organic farmers can use so a resistant strain of earworm would not be good for them. I didn't plant it my uncle did. I knew the seed corn guy he didn't. It worked and the corn was good corn but as far as I know he never planted it again. It was used for roadside sales where worm is a problem. This was about 8 years ago so the rules have probably changed by now. I prefer to use corn with a tight husk on the ear end and spray the silk just after it forms. We see very few earworm doing this and as nasty as they are we simply cut that portion out. This lets you have your favorite variety not what the seed company likes. I believe that hybrids are more vigorous and that Roundup and anti earworm varities are both open pollinated. Has anyone ever seen seed with both features? Whatever your method - may you have good eating. Vern

I can see using roundup ready corn if you are commercial with several acres, but for a garden plot I do not want roundup anywhere near my plants. About the only chemicals I let in my garden are things such as Sevin for insect control. I tried Preen which is supposed to prevent weed seeds from germinating in my tomatoes one year. It claims to work for 90 days, but apparently works longer than that. Garden seed planted in that part of the garden the next summer did not come up either. Yeah, I know I am old fashioned, but I prefer to keep chemical use to an absolute minimum.

I don't spray any more than I have to, but with the right sprayer setup, one can be pretty accurate with Roundup. The way we garden the main advantage to RR sweetcorn would be the insect resistance anyway...

ScottyD'sdad wrote:The advantage to conventional sweet corn, is that it needs a cub, to cultivate it! I'm not a big fan of "playing God" (genetic modification, beyond standard hybridization) Ed

I have no real opinion one way or the other on GMO's but if they had to be labeled as such in the grocery store there wouldn't be much left. Consider that a large percentage of soy beans are roundup ready. How many foods contain bean oil? Sugar beets are another crop with a large GMO for roundup. Sweet corn has "Insect Guard". Corn is roundup ready. Seedless melons are ok since that is an odd hybridizing. Home grown also tastes better because it is grown to be eaten not for machine processing. Vern